Some 700-800,000 Armenian labor migrants live in Russia – migration service

YEREVAN, February 12. /ARKA/. There are 700-800,000 Armenian labor migrants and members of their families living in Russia today, head of migration service of Armenian ministry of territorial administration Gagik Yeganyan said in commenting on recent amendments to the Russian migration laws.

Amendments to Russia’s laws about entry-exit and legal status of foreign citizens came into force in the beginning of this year. According to the amendments, citizens from visa-free countries (including Armenia) are allowed to stay in Russia for 90 days during each 180 days’ period.

The head of Armenia’s migration service said Russia accounts for 96-97% of short-term migrants, some 80,000 people who leave Armenia in the beginning of spring and are back in late autumn.

Long-term migrants living in Russia with their families during a year or more are 70% of all migrants. All together, there are about 700-800,000 Armenian labor migrants in Russia, Yeganyan told ARKA.

A study helped to obtain this information as migrants leaving Armenia are not getting registered in any state body before the departure, the head of the service said.

Yeganyan also said Armenian tourists are still allowed to stay in Russia for 90 days without a visa. Migrants leaving for a job can obtain a work permit for a certain fee. Foreign citizens who are in Russia for education purposes can easily get a study permit, Yeganyan said.

On January 22, Armenia’s minister of foreign affairs Edward Nalbandyan said changes may occur in Russia’s entry-exit rules for citizens of visa-free countries while negotiating accession to the Customs Union. Secretary of Armenia’s National Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan made a similar suggestion to his Russian counterpart Nikolay Patrushev. –0—